Lawyers must know caselaw: The law as established by the outcome of former cases. Law may be the antithesis of art; however, I believe that singers and lawyers need to reference the past so as to build a strong foundation for their future.
I believe the best-sounding, most creative singers are those who have been exposed to the most diverse music from all periods and all styles.
Parents of five year olds who love to sing often ask me to train their children's voices. First, no ethical singing teacher would attempt to "train" a voice so young, because their vocal apparatus is immature and vulnerable to damage. I recommend that parents fill a child's life with all kinds of recorded and live music, and find ways to nurture interest in singing and playing other instruments.
Children develop an appetite for what they see and hear the most, and children learn everything by imitating. They may imitate Katy Perry, Bruno Mars, or whatever voice fills the atmosphere in which they live. My best advice is to fill that atmosphere with quality, diverse music.
Some parents cannot make the time to nurture a child's interest in music. In that case, if I were to work with a very young child, I would introduce healthy vocal expression, write songs with her, listen to a variety of great singing from my library, and play musical games. There is plenty of time to "train" a child's voice. My recommendations train the "musical mind" of a child. The body is a singer's instrument. It is played with the mind. Mind rules!
If you've observed the courtroom performance of a very sharp lawyer, you were watching the physical expression of a well-trained mind. Like the singer/musician, the lawyer developed his style from a strong foundation of knowledge and the influence of others.
Join us for McCarter at the Museum - renowned performing artists in one-night only events at the Princeton University Art Museum.
Jason Robert Brown is a four-time Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist of The Last Five Years, Parade, Songs for a New World, 13, The Bridges of Madison County, Honeymoon In Vegas and The Connector, has performed as a soloist or with his band in venues around the world, including sold-out shows at the London Palladium and Carnegie Hall. His albums as a singer-songwriter include Wearing Someone Else’s Clothes and How We React and How We Recover on Ghostlight, and Coming From Inside the House and Live In Concert with Stephen Sondheim on Concord.
With Special Guest Tony nominee Betsy Wolfe. Tony Award-nominated actress Betsy Wolfe is currently starring as Audrey in the acclaimed Off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors, following her recent Broadway run as Madeline Ashton in the hit musical Death Becomes Her. She previously originated the title role in Joy, the new musical inspired by inventor Joy Mangano, and earned a 2023 Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her celebrated performance as Anne Hathaway in & Juliet. Other Broadway credits include starring as Jenna in Waitress, Cordelia in the acclaimed revival of Falsettos, Bullets Over Broadway, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Everyday Rapture, and 110 in the Shade, as well as her critically acclaimed performance as Cathy in the Off-Broadway revival of The Last Five Years. Wolfe made her Metropolitan Opera debut in Die Fledermaus and has appeared as a guest artist with more than 65 symphony, pops, and philharmonic orchestras worldwide, including the New York Philharmonic and BBC Symphony Orchestra, with performances at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. Her screen credits include First One In, Estella Scrooge, CBS’s Instinct, and the film adaptation of The Last Five Years. Wolfe is also the co-founder of BroadwayEvolved, the acclaimed musical theatre training program she launched in 2018 to train and mentor the next generation of theatre artists.
A limited number of early access tickets for McCarter Director’s Circle members and members of the Museum’s Partner Circle are available, on sale Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 12:00 PM. General public on sale begins Friday, September 18, 2026 at 12:00 PM.
Please be aware there is no public drop-off or parking at the Museum. For visitors with mobility needs, please contact the Museum at least three business days in advance of your visit to request special access to the Museum via Elm Drive. Call 609-258-3788 and select option 1 to speak to a visitor services staff member, or email Louise Barrett at [email protected].
